Last week we ended on the conclusion of Dhul-Qarnayn’s journey been halted at the Caucasus Mountains which is located between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region. Caucasus Mountains stretch long enough to separate Europe from Asia, for Dhul-Qarnanyn’s to build a Barrier he requires an opening in the stretch of the mountains for this to qualify for the Barrier which we are seeking. Furthermore traces of iron should be present in the area to further qualify the location of the barrier since surah Al-Kahf (The Cave) states Dhul-Qarnanyn used iron to create the barrier.

Give me pieces (blocks) of iron,” then, when he had filled up the gap between the two mountain-cliffs, he said: “Blow,” till when he had made it (red as) fire, he said: “Bring me molten copper to pour over it.” So they [Ya’juj and Ma’juj (Gog and Magog)] were made powerless to scale it or dig through it. (Qur’an 18:96-97)

Between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region among the Caucasus Mountains which separate two lands. An opening does exist and traces of iron have been recorded in this location. This is vital in identifying the barrier. In the Caucasus region and along the Caucasus Mountains the Georgian Military Highway built by the Russians in the 19th century, is the only passable road that connects the area north of the mountains to the southern area.It is the main road running for 220km from Tbilisi in Georgia to Vadikavkaz in Russia named by Tsar Alexander I, the route dates from before the 1st century BC. This is important to us since it is one of the only links to Russia through the Caucasus Mountains.

Among the region of Georgian Caucasus is a location called Daryal Gorge, where the road runs some kilometers on a narrow shelf beneath granite cliffs 1500m high. So between the 2 seas (the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea) in the Caucasus region, along the Caucasus Mountains, a passage known as Daryal Gorge (Darial Gorge) is present in the Georgian region.

We have now located the pass between the mountains. Now we require archaeological search for evidence to locate the remains of the barrier. Without the archaeological search providing us evidence of remains of a barrier, our search stands on no foundation. Furthermore we must also look for evidence of iron ore in and around the region south of the Caucasus Mountains since that is where the people would have had to locate the iron to bring pieces or blocks of iron for Dhul-Qarnanyn.

Moreover the name Daryal originates from Dar-e Alan meaning Gate of the Alans in Persian, and the Gorge, alternatively known as the Iberian Gates or the Caucasian Gates, is mentioned in the Georgian annals under the names of Ralani, Dargani, Darialani; so in other words, the Daryal from the name Daryal Gorge is based and taken from the historical fact that some form of a barrier constructed from metal once existed in the area of Gorge. Now presented to you is the passage where the barrier once stood, in the location of Daryal Gorge. Here are two photographs of the Daryal Gorge taken on 1872.

Furthermore some interpretations describe the location of the region of the barrier with the word Sadafain (open shell showing its sadafain) two sides joined at the bottom and separated at the jagged top. On that note, if we look at the sides of the Daryal Gorge we can see it is shaped like two sides of an open shell. Even the two images of 1872 above look like two sides of an open shell.

Moreover from surah Al-Kahf (The Cave) we can learn that Dhul-Qarnanyn encountered a people whose language, Dhul-Qarnanyn a man who was a great traveller could not understand.

Then he followed (another) way, until, when he reached between two mountains, he found, before (near) them (those two mountains), a people who scarcely understood a word. (Qur’an 18:92-93)

South of the Caucasus Mountains the Georgian language is spoken which is specifically the language which we seek. It is aninsular pre-indo-European language with no relatives that has been spoken for at least 5000 years.

We will In Shaa Allah next week look into the matter of following the Gog and Magogtribe who crossed the barrier when it collapsed.